One of Sri Lanka's most consistent domestic batsmen, rare is the year in which Roshen Silva does not average close to or above 50 in the Premier League Tournament. His challenge has been to stand out. Though often one of the best batsmen in any first-class season, Silva has rarely been the top-scorer, nor the batsman who appears most naturally gifted among the domestic lot. But eventually the piles of runs he had accrued began to pique the national selectors' interest.

For Silva, 2016 was almost a breakthrough year. Having impressed in an October tour of New Zealand for Sri Lanka A the previous year, Silva scored 678 runs at an average of over 55 in the 2016 Premier League Tournament. When he followed that up with 314 runs at 62.80 for Sri Lanka A in England, he was called up to the Test squad. Had it been any other series, Silva may have made his debut, only he had been selected for the series in which Sri Lanka would whitewash Australia 3-0 - the selectors saw no need to make changes to the batting order.

Silva would be picked in the Sri Lanka squad again - this time in the outfit to play Pakistan, in September and October 2017.

A graduate of St Joseph's College, Silva had also played for Sri Lanka's Under-19 side.Andrew Fernando